Fulcrumed fork



May 15 1945. A, MC OVERN 2,375,857

FULCRUMED FORK Filed June 20, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor Patented May 15, 1945 unrrro "STATES PATENT OFFICE FULCRUMED FORK Anthony McGovern, Cleveland, Ohio Application June 20, 1944, Serial No. 541,184

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in hand forks and analogous implements, such as shovels, spades, et cetera, and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, an attachment comprising a novel construction and arrangement for materially assisting in lifting the load after the tool has been driven into the ground.

Another very important object of the inventions to provide a device of the aforementioned character which may be expeditiously mounted for use on the handle of an implement without the necessity of making structural alterations therein, and removed therefrom when desired.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an attachment of the character set forth for hand forks, et cetera, which attachment will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly efficient and reliable in use, compact, light in weight and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention Will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying Figure 3 is a view in horizontal section, taken substantially on the line 3--3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectionalview through the upper portion of the fulcrum.

Figure is a detail view in perspective of one of the connecting elements.

Figure 6 is a detail view in elevation of one of the half sections of the sleeve or clamp.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a metallic sleeve i which is adapted to be removably mounted on the usual handle 2 of a conventional fork 3 at a suitably paced point from the head 4 of said fork. Toward this end, the sleeve l comprises a pair of complemental half-sections 5 for mounting on the front and rear of the fork handle 2. Formed integrally with the sections 5 are opposed, laterally projecting ears 6 which are apertured to accommodate bolts 1 for firmly clamping the sleeve l in position on the handle 2. The ears or flanges 6 have formed in intermediate portions thereof registering, longitudinally elongated slots or openings 8.,

The attachment further includes a fulcrum 9 comprising a standard Ill of wood or other suitable material. Mounted transversely on the upper end of the standard it is a metallic bar ll comprising projecting end portions l2 having openings l3 therein. This is shown to advantage in Figure 4 of the drawings.

Mounted on the upper end portion of the standard H) are connectors or hangers M. The hangers M include elongated metallic plates l5 which are secured on the sides of the standard it. Formed integrally with the upper end portions of the plates are upwardly and forwardly curved rods it which pass loosely through the elongated openings 8. The elements I6 also pass through the openings It in the end portions I2 of the bar 1 l. Retaining nuts ll are threaded on i the upper end portions of the rods l6.

' slipping on the ground, the handle 2 is then pulled rearwardly and downwardly, said handle swinging on the fulcrum 9. The loose connection of the fulcrum 9 with the handle 2 permits this. The construction and arrangement is such that suflicient leverage is had to permit the head l of the fork 3 to be swung upwardly in the ground with a minimum of elfort. To remove the attachment from the fork, it is only necessary to disconnect the fulcrum 9 from the sleeve l and then separate the sections 5 comprising said sleeve.

It is believed that the many-advantages of an attachment constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood, and although a preferred embodiment of the device is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

A hand fork attachment of the character described comprising a sleeve mounted on the handle of the fork, said sleeve including complemental half-sections, opposed flanges projecting laterally from said half-sections and bolted together for clampingsaid half-sections on the handle, the opposed flanges having registering, elongated openings therein, and a fulcrum for the handle, said fulcrum including a standard, a bar mounted on the upper end of the standard and engageable with the sleeve, said bar including projecting end portions having openings therein, and rods on the standard extending through the second-named openings and loosely anchored in the first-named openings.

ANTHONY MCGOVERN. 

